Brad Jones and His Leadership Team Could Learn A Lot From Market Basket Associates

Earlier this month RMG diarist, The Angelic One, posted on the current saga at Market Basket. He outlined steps employees Associates could take to affect change at their beloved company. The Market Basket Associates seem to be taking his advice to heart.

This week headquarters associates demanded that the board reinstate Arthur T. Demoulas or they were going to exercise a work stoppage before the weekend. This prompted the new leadership team of Thornton and Gooch – who ran Radio Shack and Shaws into the ground – to say any employee who walks out would be fired.

With their demands not met, the entire headquarters operation is staging a work stoppage tomorrow. They are standing up for their principles, regardless of the consequences to them. It is a profile in leadership that Brad Jones should aspire to.

From the Save Market Basket Facebook Page.

Today’s Meeting with F&G

Today at 3pm, F&G met with all HQ associates and told them that they have not gotten an answer from the Board regarding the demand to bring back ATD. They talked of a letter they sent to all associates which stated that any person who makes the decision to not go to work will be permanently replaced because they will have been seen as abandoning their jobs. HQ associates who were firm in their beliefs before this meeting became enraged at the threatening tone of the letter. Their livelihoods, their families, their association with the company they all love were being put in jeopardy for even thinking about protesting the current regime’s plan to change forever the Market Basket way. Many of our associates spoke passionately, with voices shaking, and Gooch could only respond “Do your jobs. Do your jobs.” More than one noted that ATD never spoke to them in such a way.

These two were given one simple job to do by all at HQ last week: get an answer for us. They did not do their job. Instead they focused on threatening each and every family member we have at HQ.

The meeting ended with associates walking away from F&G more irate and firm in their resolve than ever. Tomorrow, July 18, one year to the day that we had a rally in Andover, our associates at HQ will not be going to work. They will be backing up their words with actions and will be standing up for something they care so much for. They once again send the message to the board to bring back ATD and to the stores that they simply give them their support and nothing else. Continue to take care of our customers.

They Are Market Basket.

We Are Market Basket

If these employees are fired, I have shopped at Market Basket for the last time.